The present invention is in the field of electrical connections and more particularly in grounding of junction boxes.
Certain enclosures for interconnections of signal transmission cables from distribution cables to premise wiring, are known as xe2x80x9cNetwork Interface Devices,xe2x80x9d or NIDs, in which the paired signal transmission wires are interconnected to associated paired premise wires in respective modules. The modules include therein circuit boards having overvoltage protection components thereon whose ground leads require grounding. Grounding of cable shields and the interconnection modules is known to be provided by grounding posts mounted in the enclosures to which discrete ground wires extending from the modules are fastened. One such enclosure is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/808,301 filed Feb. 28, 1997 and assigned to the assignee hereof. A row of modules is mounted in the NID each for termination to associated distribution cable conductors and termination of premise wires to circuitry of the module for interconnection. The wire termination end is secured within a portion of the NID accessible only to utility service personnel, and the other end having a test port accessible by the customer for testing the integrity of the customer""s premise wiring circuit. The modules are fastened to a ground bus traversing the base of the enclosure which also establishes a ground connection therewith for grounding the circuit element of the module.
It is desired to provide for simplified grounding of the ground bus with an external ground.
The ground bus of the present invention establishes ground connections of a plurality of interconnection modules and the cable shield. The ground bus is adapted to easily provide for interconnection with a ground wire extending from the junction box to external ground.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.